Room 212: Afternoon

[oatmanspatient]

Marty was sitting in his room and staring at a particular package that Marcella had given him.

After a while he shoved it between his mattress and bed frame just so he wouldn't have to look at it any more and started packing up his belongings.

[Open]

Comments

[nadiathesaint]

Nadia had spent most of the weekend in hiding, but she came out today and wandered downstairs to Marty's room and knocked on the door.

[oatmanspatient]

"Doors open," Marty called out as he tried to figure out how many suits to pack and how many to keep out before he left.

[nadiathesaint]

Nadia came in, choosing to ignore the fact that he was parking. "Hey. Came by to say congratulations, since I hadn't, yet."

[oatmanspatient]

"Thanks," Marty said. "Glad to see you didn't get buried in a pile of rubble."

[nadiathesaint]

"Nope, just sat at the back of the audience and watched the whole thing. You realize that by the time I graduate, we're going to have to fight something really, really, really huge, don't you? You all just had to up the ante like that,"

[oatmanspatient]

"Well when you graduate I'll be sure to bring armor and plenty of firepower," Marty joked. "Granted that'll be the third or fourth time they have to rebuild the school so the tuition here will be killer. I'd hate to be the insurance company for this place."

[nadiathesaint]

"Knowing this island? I'm sure we're insured by some intergalactic company that's used to having whole planets get blown up or something."

[oatmanspatient]

"I'd hate to see what the premiums are," Marty joked. "Or maybe they just videotape us turning into five year olds and they turn that over to Intergalactic Funniest Home Video's for cash prizes."

[nadiathesaint]

"They'd get more money videotaping each other turning into five year olds."

[oatmanspatient]

"I don't know. Who wants to watch five year old aliens?"

[nadiathesaint]

Nadia rolled her eyes. "The administration, Marty." She went over to sit next to him. "So, how does it feel to be a high school graduate?"

[oatmanspatient]

"Well I feel taller, handsomer and have the ability to take on the world," Marty quipped.

"Honestly? Totally don't have a grip on the situation," he added. "It's like I'm about to step off a ledge and hoping there's a net right below me when I fall."

[nadiathesaint]

Nadia made a face. She was pretty sure both of them knew what that felt like, in a literal sense. "Anything I can do?"

[oatmanspatient]

Marty sighed and shook his head. "Nah. It's just taking the next step that's freaking me out a little. I know it's right for me to move along it's just hard to think I'm letting go of this place."

[nadiathesaint]

"Yeah . . . but everyone else is doing it, so why can't you. . . ." There was no enthusiasm in her voice at all. "Sorry. Are you sticking around for the summer, at least?"

[oatmanspatient]

Marty gave Nadia a knowing look. "Hey. Just because I'm leaving school doesn't mean I'm not going to stop hassling you."

Marty walked over to his dresser and picked up a cell phone. "See this? It's a Bridge-Carson-Special. Guaranteed to work across time and space so I can call you and smother you with big brother affection."